Bradenton man gets 50 years in wife's murder

A Bradenton man will serve 50 years in state prison for the murder of his wife last year.

Nicholas Hartmann, 40, pleaded no contest Monday to the charge of second-degree murder.

Hartmann was arrested on May 15, just hours after his wife, Alisa Hartmann, was found bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat in their Bayshore Gardens home. While detectives were investigating at the scene, Hartmann allegedly pulled up to the scene in his pickup truck and said, "I did it. I want to die. Kill me now," according to his arrest report.

During his time at the Manatee County Jail, Hartmann was examined by a psychologist because of the possibility of an insanity defense. But the case will not go to trial with the plea agreement.

"The defense approached me and asked if there was any possibility of a plea; He would take anything short of a life sentence," said prosecutor Art Brown. "I discussed that with the family and we looked at a couple of factors. There was a great desire on the part of the family to avoid the children of Mr. Hartmann having to testify."

Franklin Roberts, assistant public defender, did not return calls for comment on Wednesday.

A close friend of the family is adopting the two Hartmann children, said Sherri Kinser-Shumaker who was friends with Alisa Hartmann for 12 years.

"They just want to have normal lives," Kinser-Shumaker said. "The plea was accepted to protect the children and not cause them any further pain or suffering after all they've been through."

State law requires Hartmann to serve at least 85 percent of the 50-year sentence rendered by Judge Peter Dubensky, which would put Hartmann in prison until his early 80s.

"We're putting him in past the average life expectancy for a white male, which is 76," Brown said. "It should keep him in there for the rest of his life."

The State Attorney's Office did not intend to pursue the death penalty in the case because of a lack of aggravating circumstances, Brown said.

Kinser-Shumaker, who talks regularly with the victim's family, said she has been dramatically affected by the slaying.

"My life has changed, and it will never be the same," said Kinser-Shumaker, who listed a litany of things she will miss about Alisa Hartmann: "Her loving, caring friendship. The love she carried for my child, me, her family, the children she cared for. Her bubbly personality. She was a genuine person.